18.91.] MR, p. L. SCLATER ON FELIS UNCIA. 197 



March 17, 1891. 

 Prof. G. B. Howes, F.Z.S., iu the Chair. 



Mr. Sclater exhibited two specimens of the horns, with scalps 

 attached, of an Antelope from Somali-land which he had received 

 from his correspondent Capt. H. G. C. Swayne, E.E. 



Writing from Berbera (February 11th, 1891), Capt. Swayne 

 stated that the specimens had been lately given to him by some 

 Dolbohanta Somalis (see map in James's ' Unknown Horn of Africa,' 

 where the district of Dolbohanta is marked to the S.E. of Berbera 

 about 100 miles distant), who had brought them from the interior, 

 and told him that this " kind of Gazelle " was not found anywhere 

 near the coast-line. Its size was said to be " about the same as 

 that of "Waller's Gazelle, which is found all over Somali-land." Its 

 Somali name was " Dip-tag." 



Capt. Swayne was starting next day on a shooting expedition into 

 the Dolbohanta country, where he hoped to meet with this Antelope 

 and to be able to send better specimens. 



Mr. Sclater stated that, with the kind permission of Mr. Oldfield 

 Thomas, he had compared the present specimens with the skull 

 upon which Mr. Thomas had just founded his Cervicapra clarkei 

 (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1891, vii. p. 304), and that there was no 

 doubt that they all belonged to the same species. But Mr. Sclater 

 could not at all agree with Mr. Thomas that the Antelope in question 

 was a Cervicapra. It appeared to him to be rather one of the Desert 

 Antelopes allied to Gazella, and, judging from the form of the cranium 

 shown in Mr. Thomas's specimen, to be probably allied to Waller's 

 Gazelle (LitTiocranius walleri). 



Mr. Sclater exhibited two skins of the Ounce {Felis uncia) in 

 reference to the specimen of this Cat lately acquired by the Society \ 

 and made some remarks on its distribution, which appeared to be 

 entirely confined to the High Plateau of Central Asia. From the 

 Himalayas it undoubtedly extended north of the Altai and into 

 Amur-land and the island of Saghahn (c/. Schrenck, Amur-Reisen, 

 vol. i. p. 96). But the story of its occurrence in Asia Minor, in- 

 vented by Mr. D. G. Elliot, had now been quite upset by Messrs. 

 Danford and Alston (see P. Z. S. 1880, p. 51). Nevertheless, Mr. 

 Sclater had thought it would be of interest to get a living specimen 

 of the so-called Felis tulliana, from the mountains above Smyrna, 

 and had consequently applied to Mr. Frederic Holmwood, F.Z.S., 

 at present H.B.M.'s Consul General at Smyrna, to use his best 

 endeavours to obtain an example of this animal. 



The following papers were read : — 



1 See below, p. 212. 



